With a new government in Canberra and good prospects of stability for the next three years, it is the perfect time to consider what could be done to develop and advance an agenda for prevention.

The Public Health Prevention Conference held in Melbourne earlier this month canvassed a host of possibilities.

Prevention is rarely achieved quickly, and a three-year time period allows for plans to be developed thoughtfully, coalitions built, and resources allocated carefully and without haste.

There are two principal channels for prevention that could be used to good effect.